Collapsible boat



Oct. 25, 1932. w, MCGRATH 1,884,792

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT Filed June 30. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR www ATTORNE V Oct. 25, 1932. w. L. M GRATH COLLAPSIBLE BOAT 2 She ets-Sheet 2Filed June 3 1931 IN VENTOR mgmm Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED} STATESPATENT OFFICE 'WILLIAM L. MCGRATH, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TBENDIX AVIATION CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OFDELAWARE coLLArsnsLE BOAT Application filed Jane 30,

This invention relates to collapsible boats and more particularly tofolding boats to be propelled by outboard motors.

It is difficult to obtain suflicient rigidity for the power operation offolding boats by reason of the lightness of the construction and theflexible joints incorporated therein. The vibration of the power plantand the thrusts of propulsion and of steering all tend to open the seamsand joints of the boat and unless special precautions are taken, causethe useful life of the boat to be greatly shortened.

It is an object of the present invention to providea folding boatembodying novel provisions for increasing the strength and rigidity ofthe device. 7 Another object of the invention is to pro vide such adevice in which strengthening members are arranged to prevent flexure ofthe hull of the boat caused by operation of a power plant attached tothe stern.

A further object is to provide such a device in which the strengtheningmembers are arranged to so fold up as not to project from the packageformed by the folded boat, and so as not to interfere with the foldingof the boat in the usual manner.

Another object is to provide such a device in which the strengtheningmembers are read ily placed in operative position when the boat isexpanded for use and may be quickly moved to their inoperative positionswhen the boat is to be folded.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in thisart from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the after portion of a folding boatembodying a preferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a. perspective view on a reduced scale of the boat in foldedposition;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the after part of the boat infolded position; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of 1931. Serial No. 547,908.

the drawings which show the boat in expanded position, it will be seenthat the hull of the boat comprises a bottom panel 10, side panels 11,hinged thereto and a stern panel also hinged to the bottom panel andconnected to the side panels 11 by triangular panels 13 hinged to theside and the stern panels and adapted to fold under the stern panel asillustrated in Fig. 3 when the boat is collapsed.

A stretcher 14 comprising a transverse member preferably in the form ofa thwart or seat 15 is provided for holding the sides in extendedposition and is provided with suitable detachable anchorages on the sidepanels as indicated at 16. A longitudinal stretcher member 17 is rigidlyattached to the middle portion of the thwart 15 and is hinged to thecenter portion of the stern panel as indicated at 18, thus serving tohold the stern panel in its extended position when the thwart 15 isanchored to the side panels 11. A transverse stretcher or thwart 19(Fig. 3) similar to the stretcher member 15 is provided in the forwardpart of the boat, being hinged to the bottom panel 10 adjacent the bowof the boat as shown at 21 and serves to brace the forward parts of theside panels 11 when the boat is expanded.

It has been found in practice that when an outboard motor is attached inthe conventional manner to the stern panel of a boat of this character,the vibration of the engine and the thrust of the propeller cause theseams and hinges of the hull to be strained to such an extent that aftera moderate amount of use they may open up and leak.

It has been found in particular that the thrust of the propeller causesa pivotal motion of the stern panel about the hinge 18 as an axis whichplaces heavy stresses upon the joints between the stern panel and thebottom panel and at the edges of the triangular panels 13. i

This disadvantage is overcome according to the present invention by asystem of folding braces which prevent any pivotal motion of the sternpanel about the hinge 18, or any weaving of the stern panel with respectto the hull of the boat. As best shown in Figs. 1

and 2, these braces comprise a U-shaped thrust member 22 the arms ofwhich are pivoted as indicated at 23 and 24 to brackets 25 and 26fastened underneath and near the ends; of the thwart 15. The base27 ofthe member 22 is'arranged toengag'e in the lower end of a bracket 28which is hinged at 29 to the rear end of the longitudinal stretchermember 17 -The bracket'2'8 isprefer'ably provided with fingers 30 and 31arranged to receive the base 27 of the member 22 and position itadjacent the bottom edge o f the stern paella t.

In order to furtherstiffen"thestern panel and to prevent its pivotingaround thehinge 18, a pair of link members 32 and .33 are pivotallyattached near the upper edge of the stern panel 12 and approximately.opposite the brackets 25 and 26 as shown at 34 and, 36. The brackets 25and 26 have downwardly extending arms terminating in lugs 37 and 38,'andthe links 32 and 33are formed with eyes 39 and 41 Which are adapted tofit over said lugs whereby the links may be rigid- 1y connected to thethwart 15. V is It will be seen that by this arrangement of braces, arigid truss construction is formed whereby the thrusts of the propellerwill place the brace 22 under compression and the links 32 and 33 undertension, these forces being transmitted directly to the stretcher 14whe'rebythe hinges ofthe hull" are relieved ,7 from excessive strain andare prevented from Working during the operation of the propelling means.It will further be noted that,

. g by reason ofthe spacing of the points of'at- 'tachment of the threebraces, with respectto the hinge 18 that weaving of the stern panel 12under lateral forces fcausedby swinging the motor in steering the boatis prevented. When boats of this type are to be collapsed or folded, thestretchers 14 and l9 are first raised from their anchorages in the sidepanjels 11, the side panels are then folded in ward, the stern panelfolded on top and the stretchers then lowered into the positionsillustrated in Fig. 3. The bracing mechanism of the present inventiondoes not interfere with this operation and calls for only a slightamount ofextra manipulation. When the stretcher 14 is raised, the links32 and 33 be-,

' come loosened and their eyes 39 and l1 are readily detached from lugs37 and 38. The

brace 22 is then swung forward approximately in the plane of thestretcher 14, the

.links 32-and 33 are placed crosswise as indicated in'Fig. 4 and thefolding of the boat then proceeds as usual. When the stern "panel 12 isfolded forward, the lower end of s the bracket 28 slides along thebottom panel '10 into the position shown in Fig. 5. When the boat is tobe expanded again, the operations are reversedand the final placing ofvthe stretcher l4 onits anchorages 16 causes the braces 32, 33 and 22 tobe placed under pended hereto.

ineans and initiil stress so that the assembly is taut and r1 1 Althoughbut one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, itwill be understood that various changes may befmade in the details andarrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit of'theinvention as defined in the claims apc What is claimed is: a

1 A collapsible boat including a bottom panel-,-side panels and a sternpanel hinged theret o,, stretching means for holding the side panelsandstern panel in extended position and means connecting the edges ofsaid stern panel to sald stretching means to transmit thrusts from thesternp'anel to the stretching prevent-angular movement of the sternpanel.

2. A collapsible boat,including a bottom I panel, sidepanels and a sternpanel hinged thereto, a stretcher adapted to be detachably anchoredtosaid "side'pan'els andhinged to the stern panelat a substantiallymedial point thereof, and means connecting the free edge of thestern'panel to said stretcher to prevent angular motion of the sternpanel.

3. A collapsible boat including a bottom panel, side panels and 'a sternpanel hinged thereto, a stretcher adapted tobe detachably'an'choredtosai'd side panels and hinged to the stern panel at a substantiallymedial point thereof, and means connectingthe top and bottom of saidstern panel to said stretcher to transmit thrusts from the stern panelto the sides of the boat.

panel being arranged "to receive and'support the'propelling device,a'transverse stretcher member adapted to be det'achablyanchored to theside panels to hold them extended, a longitudinal stretcher memberconnected to medial parts of said stern panel and said first stretchermember to hold the stern panel extended, and-a compression memberdetachably connecting the lower side of the stern panel to thetransverse stretcher member.

6. A folding boat adapted for power propulsion including abottompanel,side'panels and a stern panel hinged thereto, said sternypanel being arranged to receive and support the propelling device, atransverse stretcher member adapted to be detachably anchored to theside panels to hold them extended, a longitudinal stretcher memberconnected to medial parts of said stern panel and said first stretchermember to hold the stern panel extended, and a hinged compression memberarranged to transmit the thrust of the propolling device from the sternpanel to the transverse stretcher member.

7. A folding boat adapted for power propulsion including a bottom panel,side panels and a stern panel hinged thereto, said stern panel beingarranged to receive and support the propelling device, a transversestretcher member adapted to be detachably anchored to the side panels tohold them extended, a longitudinal stretcher member-connected to medialparts of said stern panel and said first stretcher to hold the sternpanel extended, and a pivoted brace adapted to connect the upper part ofthe stern panel to the transverse stretcher member.

8. A folding boat adapted for power propulsion including a bottom panel,side panels and a stern panel hinged thereto, said stern panel beingarranged to receive and support the propelling device, a transversestretcher member adapted to be detachably anchored to the side panels tohold them extended, a longitudinal stretcher member connected to medialparts of said stern panel and said first stretcher member, to hold thestern panel extended, a bracket hinged to said stern panel and extendingadjacent the lower edge thereof and a brace hinged to the transversestretcher member and adapted to engage the end of the bracket totransmit the propeller thrust from the stern panel to the transversestretcher member.

9. A folding boat adapted for power propulsion including a bottom panel,side panels and a stern panel hinged thereto, said stern panel beingarranged to receive and support the propelling device, a transversestretcher member adapted to be detachably anchored to the side panels tohold them extended, a longitudinal stretcher member connected to medialparts of said stern panel and said first stretcher member, to hold thestern panel extended, a bracket hinged to said stern panel and extendingadjacent the lower edge thereof, a brace hinged to the transversestretcher member and adapted to engage the end of the bracket, and apair of pivoted braces adapted to connect the upper end portions of thestern panel to the transverse stretcher member.

10. A collapsible boat including a bottom panel, side panels and sternpanel hinged thereto, stretching means for holding the side panels andstern panel in extended position, compression means cooperating with thelower part of said stern panel and said stretching means for preventingangular movement of the stern panel, said means being detachablyanchored to one of said stern panel and stretching means" and hinged tothe other, so as not to interfere with the folding up of the boat.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

WILLIAM L. MCGRATH.

